Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	heart_n	spirit_n	write_v	13,069	5	6.3313	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09976	The lavv out lavved or, The charter of the Gospell shewing the priviledge and prerogative of the saints by vertue of the covenant Wherein these foure points of doctrine are properly observed, plainely proved, both by Scripture, and reason: and pithily applyed. Viz: doctrine 1 That he that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne, no sinne hath dominion over him. 2 That sinne though it doth not raigne in the saints, yet it doth remaine and dwell in them. 3 That the way to overcome sinne, is to get assurance of the love, and grace, and favour of God, whereby it is forgiven them. 4 That whosoever is under the law, sinne hath dominion over him. By that late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ. Iohn Preston. Doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.	1633 (1633)	STC 20230; ESTC S110464	16,083	20

THE LAW OVT LAVVED OR The Charter of the Gospell shewing the priviledge and prerogative of the Saints by vertue of the Covenant Wherein these foure points of doctrine are properly observed Plainely proved both by Scripture and reason and pithily applyed VIZ Doctrine 1 That he that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne no sinne hath dominion over him 2 That sinne though it doth not raigne in the Saints yet it doth remaine and dwell in them 3 That the way to overcome sinne is to get assurance of the Love and grace and favour of God whereby it is forgiven them 4 That whosoever is under the Law sinne hath dominion over him By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ IOHN PRESTON Doctor in divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. EDINBVRGH Printed by Iohn Wreittoun 1633. Romans 6. 14. For sinne shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace THese words are brought in thus the Apostle exhortes them not to sinne but to give their members as instruments unto righteousnes and to move them to this he tels them that sin was not their Lord now as it was heeretofore and that it shall have no more dominion over them and therefore he bids them strive against it and then he adds a reason of this because they were not under the law but under grace now Christ hath changed their hearts for while a man is under the Law sinne hath dominion over him it tels him what to doe but gives him no power to doe it but you have the grace of sanctification to change your hearts and enable you to every good word and worke so that you delight in the Law after the inner man albeit you see another law in your members roaring against the Law in your minde and bringing you into captivity to the law of sin which is your members as it is said in the 7. chapter and the 23. verse Whence wee may learne Doct That hee that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne no sinne hath dominion over him Now sinne is said to have no Dominion over a man three manner of wayes viz. in regard Q It hath no right to rule over him it is no more our Lord but is as a servant that hath no dominion but is said to offer violence to us as if the King of Spaine should rule over us he hath no dominion over us Secondly In regard it s not obeyed for there it hath dominion as a Prince may have right to a kingdome yet he be not obeyed he hath no dominion Thirdly in regard though it strive against us yet it never gets the victory for though it a●… us yet if it g●t not the victory it hath no dominion over us this is proved by their similitudes which must bee explained viz. First it was our Master and we its servants but n●w we have changed our Masters and are become the servants of righteousnes Secondly it is said that we were married to sinne and it had dominion vers 8 and command over us as the husband over the wife but now it is dead and there is a divorce betweene us and now wee are married to Christ and hee commands us and wee obey Thirdly it is said we were dead to sinne and alive to God and therefore verse 6 we cannot live in sinne for command a dead body to goe about a bussinesse and hee cannot because hee is dead Quest. Now the reasons of the point bee these the is taken from Christ all wee are ingrafted into Christ and Reas into his death and into the similituds of his resurrection verse 5. that we are grafted as a graft into Christ and all the old sappes taken away and we have new sap and bring foorth new fruite and have no other because we grow in another tree and wee live to God yet wee may commit sinne though we allow not our selves in it for they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof if therefore there be any lust in him he is not Christ Againe if any man bee in Christ he is new creature and therefore he doth not wallow in hisould sinnes so saith God I will give you a new heart and all things are become new and old things are done away therefore wee cannot lye in any knowne sinne Againe whosoever is in Christ hath receaved of his fullnes grace for grace in him we are able to doe all things and therefore if we cannot strive against old sinnes wee are not in Christ and therefore wee must strive to bee compleat Secondly because we have the Spirit of God ruling in us and therefore Reas we walke after the Spirit and not after the flesh now if wee lye in any knowne sinne we have not the Spirit and therefore are not in the state of grace if any man have not the Spirit of grace he is not the Sonne of God now if he walke after the flesh he hath not the Spirit for the spirit gives him ability to strive against all sinnes Thirdly he is borne of God now ●ee that is borne of God sinneth not that is it ruleth not over him for a man is said to sinne that favours wickednes and setteth his heart to sinne he sinneth not because he is like God as a sonne is like his father and therefore a wicked man is like the devill because hee is his Father and his wickednes is in him and therefore the devill is called the ●ather of the wicked and so every regenerat man hath all the righteousnes of Christ though not in the same degree he hath perfective holynes of parts though not of degrees now then he hath no member of Satan in him that is no known sinne which hee loveth Fourthly because he hath the whole law written in his heart and Reas his heart is set to obey the whole law and therefore he cannot lye in any knowne sinne Fifthly because hee is wholly changed and translated to another man Reas which is exprest two wayes Quest The whole drift of his minde is changed as suppose the earth were made fire the whole vent of it were to goe upward so a man is wholly bent towards heaven or els his heart is not changed and if so hee can lye in no knowne sinne Sixtly he is changed in his tast S. Paul saith they that are in Christ Reas savour not the things of the flesh but of the spirit every sinne is bitter to the regenerate man if it bee not then hee savoureth the things of the flesh to this is that agreable keepe this feast with vnleavened bread and not with old leaven of maliciousnes we must be unleavened bread to Christ wee must give no allowance to sinne

Sanctitication sinne is not wholly abolished in the Saints in this life but doth dwell in them To humble us and to make us see what is our hearts and to Reas make us know that the Lord bringeth us to the holy Land therefore God sometimes left the Israelites to trye them and so hee troubled Hezechiah to know what was in his heart and so hee sent a Messinger of Satan to buffet S. Paul least hee should bee exalted above measure through aboundance of Revelations and so the Lord doth deale with everie Saint That Christ may bee acknowledged for if wee had no sinne in us Reas we should acknowledge the benefits of his mediation so much as now wee doe all are shut up under sinne that hee might have mercie upon Rom 3 9 all Rom. 3. 9. that is that it might bee manifested and declared that they are saved meerely by the mercie of God in Christ as is said afterward verse the 26. otherwise we should not rightly value our justification and sanctification but seeing him subduing pardoning our sinnes wee see what neede wee have of him how that wee are lost without him That wee might exercise our faith 1. Iohn 3. wee are the sonnes Reas of God but it doth not yet appeare what it shall bee but c. so GOD hath hidde his children under basenesse that their faith might bee exercised for things wee see we may easily believe but faith is of things not seene therefore God doth as men doe hyde jewells under base places where men would looke least for them wherefore wicked men stumble and are offended at this because they doe not believe it and therefore it is made an article of our faith that wee neede and believe the remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes but let us apply it 1. This should teach us not to be discouraged for those infirmities that Vse 1 are in us for there are such in everie Saint if he find he striveth against them and findeth such successe in it sinne is a guest to evill men but a theefe to the godly which they would not have come in their hearts so it is one thing to weare a chaine as an ornament and another as a fetter to restraine them therefore they ought not to bee discouraged but to assure themselves they are under grace 2. Wee must not censure men for these slippes and falls wee see in Vse 2 them for wee must remember that sinne dwelleth in them wee must not presently judge them to bee hypocrites Bee not many masters sayeth S. Iames that is censure him not for hee standeth or falleth to his owne conscience 3. This should teach us to bee watchfull and not to thinke our labour Rom 4 4. is at an end when we are in the state of grace for sinne still dwelleth in us and though wee have the victorie over sinne one day it will fight against us the next daye as in a garden the weedes will grow because the rootes are not quite plucked up and taken away so sinne is in us and therefore we must thinke it will fight against us and vexe us and therefore I say let us renue our strength Now for this we must doe these two things First weaken sinne Secondly pray to God to make us watchfull And so I have also done with the second doctrine againe from the latter part of these words or reason of the promise made unto them in in the former part of this verse that sin shall not have dominion over them because they are not under the Law but under grace I gather this conclusion viz. That the way to overcome sinne is to get assurance of the love and Doct grace of God and that it is forgiven them the reason why the Apostle promises them sin shall not have dominion over them is because they are not under the law but under grace that is they had assurance of Gods love and that it is forgiven them this is proved from that faith purifieth the heart and you repent and believe the gospell Now the reasons heereof are th●se foure especially 〈…〉 2 Q. Because it is the meanes to get the spirit without which no sin is forgiven which commeth by saith for it is not receaved by the law for so saith the apostle receaved you the spirit by the works of the law Ans or by the deeds of faith Secondly the way to make us believe the promises to make us believe that we are transformed into a heavenly nature for when we believe Reas the promises are true that workes love in as a●d love transformeth us into the divine nature without which no sinne is overcome Thirdly because heereby we are able to resist the tentations which Reas are either for the injoying of good or ●●eing of evill so that these promises propound more good then sin can harme sinne threatned the love of outward things but the promises propound eternall life which is better then all things else in the world Fourthly because we doe delight in God for when we doe believe in Vse 1 God that our sinnes are forgiven us in Christ then wee looke at God as on a mercy●ull Father and then wee cease to delight in the world we begin to delight our selves in the Lord. 1. First for direction to teach us the way how to heale a sinne Vse 2 and that it is to get assurance that is pardoned forgiven for legal terrours doe not heale a sin but is faith that purifies the heart and purifying pacifies it as a Traytor will not come in when he heares a proclamation o●t for his death but when he heares he shalllive and be pardoned this makes him to come in so we when we only fixe our eyes upon the legal terrours we shall not heale our sins but when we belieue they are pardoned this heales them But sorrow and a broken heart are required for sinners to be assured Obiect of their forgivennes Ans This sorrow is not so much commanded but it is that whereby God prepareth his servants hearts to make them see what need they have of pardon and so they may aske pardon but the sorrow commanded is that which followes beliefe for the more I believe the promises the more I shall grieve for displeasing him Quest But what is the way to get assurance of the forgivennes of our sins may some say I answere that that bee done which is to be done on our part Ans believed which God hath promised Q. The things to be done on our part are these Confession plainely and truely wee must confesse them to God and to man when we our selves cannot overcome them Secondly contrition which is when a man is not stubborne and resisteth Gods will and will please himselfe to get his heart broken Hab ● ● he saith as saint Paul saith Lord what wilt thou have me to doe and then we are subject to his will to him will I looke that is of a contrite heart Thirdly

Seventhly Because they know God Ier. 33. The Lord saith by his Reas Prophet I will write my law in their hearts and they shall know mee so that with this wryting the law in their hearts they cannot but know sinne for they are changed in their minds before that they can know God hence I inferre that hee that knowes God will not change from the immutable God to the mutable creature and they that doe it doe it because they know not God Eightly because hee hath faith which will make us not lye in any knowne sinne for all sinnes are either of the temptation of the devill the flesh or the world now faith overcomes all these 1 It overcommeth the world This is the victory that overcometh the world even your saith but if the world could overcome the regenerate in any temptation then this were not true that faith overcommeth the world but he shall not be overcome by the glory and riches of the world Secondly the flesh the just walketh in his integritie to this added that blessings are every where annexed to the keeping of the commandements blessed are they that have respect unto the com●…ments if you leane to the right ●a●d or to the left y●● s 〈…〉 sured againe if you keepe the whole law and off 〈…〉 are guilty of the whole law But besides these scriptures there bee other reasons to prove that the regenerat man cannot lye in any knowne sinne First because hee that lyes in any knowne sinne hath another for his Reas Lord and God and so is an Idolater and so cannot bee regenerate for hee yeeldeth to the same still if it commands hee obeyeth God commanding him hee neglecteth it and therefore maketh it his God Secondly because he lyeth in any knowne sinne will be unconstan● Reas in the serving of God now God rejecteth such an one for though the temptation to that sinne being removed hee serve God yet that sinne setting upon him hee forsakes Gods service and obeyeth it and when soever occasion is offered he turneth to obey it now such unconstancy God hateth as among m●n a flower though it more beautyfull then a pearle yet it is not regarded so much because it is ●ading and a shippe may saile safe a great while but yet falling upon a rocke maketh shipwracke of faith and good conscience and such a one cannot bee in the state of grace Thirdly because hee that lyeth in any knowne sinne will if hee had Reas like strong temptations commit all the sinnes in the world as bee a man inclined to covetousnes or uncle●●●●s he would commit any other if hee were as much inclined to any other now such an one cannot bee in the state of grace Fourthly because if a man have a good hear● no sin can grow there because it is out of its proper place and therefore cannot prosper as plants that grow in India if they bee ●●tt heere wither so every sinne i● a good heart is out of its proper place and wil not grow but wither every day more and more but he that findeth sinne growing in his heart his heart is not regenerat Fiftly because he m●st hate the word of God and g●dly men for Reas when a ma● is ready to commit sinne the word i● at hi● to disswade him godly men disswade him and therefore now if hee doe it and they sti●l r●buke him hee commeth to account the word a reproach a●d hee hates it and good men likewise Thus Iohn is Her●ds friend a great while till ●● tels him of his beloved si● and then ●●f goes head so they hate God and wish that ●●●re were none because hee resolveth to sinne and God reproves him and so h●● cannot ●ee in a good estate Sixtly and lastly because all his actions will have an evill tincture Reas from that his sin it so w●yeth all he doth so that nothing is 〈…〉 in Gods ●ight As if a man were set ●o get honour though he did not directly fall into that sinne yet he 〈…〉 all his 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 ●● affecteth such persons that may further that his intent so that ●●rr● caveneth every action of his and whensoever any act of religion opposeth him he then forsaketh all as if a man have a project to get a harvest that is not yet come all that hee doth is for that end he ploweth soweth and the like so it is with a man that hath a sinne and resolves ●o f●llow it he by-useth all his actions by that therefore God abhorres him and all that he doth First this is to try us every man may know if he bee in the state o● Vse grace or no if he lyes in the least knowne sinne that is he is but counterfeit if though he be admonished and told that God will not have him to doe such a thing yet he doth it it s a signe hee is not in a good estate as if a man knew and were perswaded he ought not to abound in idle speeches and yet will it is a signe he is not in the state of grace so when he is cōmanded he ought to pray and yet doth it not or doth it only for shew it s a signe he is in a bad estate for if hee knew its a sinne to be idle and it comes into his minde that he should not and is perswaded of it and yet will it s a signe his estate is not good so as for immodera● gaming if one be told he should not yet will vse it all cariage is naught certainely hee is bad so for the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life when a man shall spend all his time and find all his thoughts bent that way for any one of them certaine it is his heart is not gracious for then these thoughts would not abound in him but thoughts of growing in grace but if his morning thoughts be for satisfying of the flesh and the lusts thereof or his secrets plots he may justly ●eare its a reigning sinne for when all his projects and thoughts are upon one thing as to bee in fine apparell its certaine sinne reigneth in him and so he is in the state of damnation as a scholer that wholly aimes at vaine glory and how to get honour and credit that sin reigneth in him But there were many which seemed religious men which had these Obs infirmities in them in the scriptures True and many therefore not truely regenerated but seeming only Ans so now many youths make a faire show under the meanes when ●aling into temptations fall away but if they be not cōma●ded or thinke of it great faults may stand with true grace but if they be a●monished by their conscience or others and told they must no● doe it ●h●n their estate is not good for true grace cannot stand with these ●ailings Now the signes whereby wee may know whether we● live in known sinnes or not are these Quest Living in a knowne sinne is of two